ABSTRACT
While land use and transportation are inextricably related, the nature of that relationship for any transportation mode is highly dependent on many factors, including a host of public policies. This Chapter examines the most important of these factors and provides guidance on how to anticipate and resolve these issues when planning for deployment of a High Speed Ground Transportation (HSGT) system. A variety of political and economic forces can combine to initiate the development of a transportation mode, including both infrastructure investment and technological innovation. The political evolution of HSGT transportation options requires a perception about its role in catalyzing greater regional commercial interaction. Station locations may be determined by several factors, including politics, economics, and technical adaptability. Capital costs for HSGT systems are by their nature corridor and technology specific. The major categories of cost for new HSGT systems are for land acquisition, earthwork, structures, systems, vehicles, and program implementation.
